Sustainability too costly for many, reveals IKEA survey

Most people across the world would like to live more sustainable lives but say the biggest barrier is that it costs too much, according to a new survey of people in 25 countries. The ‘Healthy and Sustainable Living’ survey was carried out by Globescan in partnership with IKEA which says it wants to make a positive difference and enable sustainable choices for more people.

“Our ambition is to make sustainable living affordable, attractive and accessible for the many people with thin wallets,” says Lena Pripp-Kovac, Head of Sustainability at Inter IKEA Group. “We want to use the insights from this and other studies to enable the better everyday living that people are looking for.”

IKEA, which recently committed to science-based climate targets to mitigate a global temperature increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, says it is working to use responsibly sourced products at affordable prices. These include renewable and recycled materials with lower climate impact, such as recycled polyester and its ‘Forandring’ collection made of rice straw. IKEA is also aiming to design products to be repaired, repurposed, reused and recycled. It also wants all products and packing materials to be based on renewable or recycled materials by 2030.

The new survey found increased anxiety among citizens around the world with environmental issues a growing concern. More than half of the people surveyed (54 per cent) saw living healthily and sustainably as a major or large personal priority, while just one in 50 said it was not a priority.

However, only six per cent said say they lived a healthy and sustainable lifestyle now, with the biggest barrier being that it was perceived to be too expensive. Many also felt governments and businesses were not doing enough to help.

Pripp-Kovac added, “Through our size and focus on affordability, we have a big possibility to make a positive difference. IKEA has committed to inspire and enable more than one billion people to live better lives within the limits of the planet by 2030.” And Eric Whan, Director at GlobeScan, said, “Just like our colleagues at IKEA, we at GlobeScan believe that there is a global need and a responsibility for businesses to help all people live more healthy and sustainable lives.”